Electrical contact means



March 11, 1941. H, A, nouGLAs ELECTRICAL CONTACT MEANS Original Filed Aug. 23, 1935 Hep/er a. aouaa as INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 11, 1941 UNITE STATES ATENT F'FMIE ELECTRICAL CONTACT MEANS of Indiana Original application August 23, 1935', Serial No.

37,489. 1938, Serial No. 215,520

6 Claims.

Myinvention relates to electrical connection means, and more particularly to means for receiving conductor terminals of the snap type, and the principal object of my invention is to provide new and improved electrical connection means for these types.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial Number 37,489, filed August 23, 1935.

In the drawing accompanying this specification and forming a part of this application, I have shown, for purposes of illustration, various forms which my invention may assume, and in this drawing:

Figure l is an elevation of one embodiment of my invention,

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows and including, in addition, a plug conductor terminal adapted to cooperate therewith,

Figure 3 is a perspective View of the parts comprising the embodiment shown in Figure l, the parts being shown in disassembled relation,

Figure 4 is an elevation of a different embodiment of my invention,

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line ii5 of Figure a, locking in the direction of the arrows, and

Figure 6 is a perspective View of the parts comprising the embodiment shown in Figure l, the

parts being shown in disassembled relation.

Referring to the embodiment of my invention shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, a terminal post It is suitably mounted on a base II. The terminal post IIJ includes a body I2, here shown as made of sheet metal stock, bent in a right angular formation as viewed in Figures 2 and 3. The body It includes a vertical generally rectangular plane wall I3, and a horizontal plane wall It, the latter wall serving, as a foot for the body it, and being integral with the vertical wall I3 and extending at right angles therefrom at the lower end thereof.

The terminal post III is provided with a plug terminal receivingv recess, including an arcuate aperture I5 adjacent the top margin of the wall It. The vertical wall I3 is further formed with a generally diagonally disposed slot It extending from the junction of the walls I3 and, I l to and intersecting the aperture I5. The slot iii comprises a marginal wall Ii, substantially straight in extent, and an opposite marginal wall It having its lower part parallel with the wall I1, and intermediate its extent diverging from parallelism with-the wall IT, as shown at I9, and terminating Divided and this application June 2d,

in an angularly disposed marginal wall 2%) intersecting the aperture I5.

The vertical wall I3 is provided with a slot 2i, spaced from and to the left of the lower end of the slot I5 as viewed in Figure 1, and the slot 2| 5 extends into the horizontal wall I4 and communicates with a transverse slot 22 which in turn communicates with the slot IS. The slots It and 2I define between them a toe 23 forming a continuation of the vertical wall I3 and extending to the plane including the lower surface of the horizontal wall I l. The horizontal wall It is provided with an aperture 24, spaced from the vertical wall I3, and adapted for the reception of a suitable fastening means, here shown to be a screw 25 passing through the aperture 25 and having its screw-threaded end engageable with a screw-threaded aperture 26 formed in the base I I. The horizontal wall I I may be provided with a lug (not shown) extending into a recess or aperture in the base II to prevent turning of the terminal post Ill about the fastening means 25.

In manufacture, the body I2 may be formed from an elongated strip of metal, and the desired lengths of the walls I3 and I4 may be formed therefrom, and the aperture I5, slots I6, 2|, and 22, and aperture 24, may be formed therein in any suitable manner, as by stamping or punching, and the body then bent to the desired right angular formation.

Biasing means 2'! are provided for cooperation with the body I2, and comprise a generally plane leaf-spring like member 23, adapted to be disposed in the slot IE, but being of a greater width than the thickness of the wall I3, so that when the member 28 is in position with'respect to the slot I6, portions thereof will be disposed on opposite sides of the wall I3. The member 28 is pro- I vided at its upper end, as viewed in Figures 1 and 2, with a slot 29, preferably of a width to freely pass the thickness of the wall I3, the slot 29 forming longitudinally extending fingers 39. The opposite end of the member 28 is angularly bent, as shown at 35, and the bent portion 3I is provided with a slot 32 preferably of the same width as the slot 29, the slot 32 forming longitudinally extending fingers 33.

To assemble the terminal post Id, the part of the spring member 28 carrying the fingers ii! is inserted in the slot I6, and inserting movement is continued until a margin 34 of the slot 29 abuts the marginal wall 2d of the slot It. In this position the fingers 315 formed by the slot it will overlie adjacent portionsof the wall Iii, and the angularly bent portion 3| of the member 28 will have its lower surface flush with the lower surface of the horizontal wall I4, with the fingers 33 thereof straddling the toe 23. The body [2 is then fastened to the base II by means of the screw 25 5 and the parts are securely assembled by reason of the fact that both the body l2 and spring member 28 are held to the base I I.

As shown in Figure 1, the spring member 28 normally assumes a straight diagonal position intersecting and forming a chord across the arcuate aperture [5, and at its lower part, closely fitting the lower part of the slot l6. To increase the size of the recess defined by the aperture l5 and the adjacent portion of the spring member 28, the upper part of the spring member is pushed to the left, as viewed in Figure 1, and swings about the" point l9, this movement being limited by abutment with the marginal wall l8.

In Figure 2 is shown a plug conductor terminal 35 adapted to cooperate with the terminal post H), and comprising a generally cylindrical portion 36 provided with an annular furrow 31 and a. frustro-conical end 38. A conductor 39 may be fastened to the plug conductor terminal as by swedging, indicated by the swedge indentations 43 in the frustro-conical end 38. To secure the plug conductor terminal in cooperative position with respect to the terminal post H), the frustro-conical end 38 thereof is inserted into 0 the aperture i5 formed in the body [2, inserting movement causing the frustro-conical end 38 to engage the marginal walls of the aperture l5 and the adjacent surface of the spring member 28, the end 33 camming the spring member 28 35 to the left, as viewed in Figure 1, and increasing the size of the recess defined by the aperture i 5 and the spring member 28 to accommodate the cylindrical portion 36 of the plug conductor terminal 35. Further inserting movement causes 40 the annular furrow 31 to be positioned adjacent the aperture l5, and 'the spring member 28, because of its resiliency, then snaps the annular furrow 3'! into engagement with the marginal walls of the aperture l5, and holds the plug conductor terminal 35 in electrical and mechanical contact with the terminal post I0. Withdrawal movement of the plug conductor terminal 35 causes the tapering surfaces of the annular furrow 31 to again cam the spring member 28 to the left, as viewed in Figure 1, to permit the passage of the generally cylindrical portion of the plug conductor terminal 35.

Referring now to Figures 4, 5, and 6, the embodiment of my invention therein disclosed comprises a terminal post 4|, mounted on a base 42. The terminal post 4! is preferably formed of sheet metal bent into right angular formation, and includes a body portion 43 provided with a generally plane vertical wall 44 and a generally 0 horizontal Wall 45 extending at right angles from the lower end of the vertical wall 44. The vertical wall 44 is provided with an arcuate aperture 45, and extending substantially diagonally from a margin of the body portion 43 is a slot 41 intersecting the aperture 45.

The body portion 43 is secured to the base 42 by means of a screw 48 passing through an aperture 49 in the horizontal wall 45 and engageable with a screw-threaded aperture 50 formed in thebase 42.

Biasing means are provided for cooperation with the body portion 43, and comprise an elongated generally plane leaf-spring like member 5!, bent generally V-shaped' to form legs 52 and 53 and a bight portion 54. Each leg' 52 and 53 is provided with a slot 55, of a width to pass the thickness of the vertical wall 44, and of a length to extend from an adjacent end to a point short of the bight 54. To assemble the spring member 5| with the body portion 43, the vertical 5 wall 44 is inserted into the slots 55 in the legs 53 and 52 respectively, inserting movement being limited by the abutment of the leg 53 with the horizontal wall 45, and the legs 53 and 52 are predeterminedly formed so that the leg 52 will it) normally form a chord across the arcuate aperture 4B, and the end of the leg 52 will be spaced from the lower marginal wall (as viewed in Figure 4) of the slot 41. With the parts so assembled, a portion 56 is struck out from the margin 15 of the vertical wall 44 adjacent the bight 54 of the spring member 5|, and the parts are thus held against unintentional displacement.

A plug conductor terminal like the terminal 35 may be inserted into the aperture 46, initial 20 movement causing the frustro-conical end to cam the leg 52 in a generally swinging movement about the bight 54, thereby increasing the size of the opening defined by the aperture 45 and leg 52 to permit the passage of the cylindrical 25 portion of the plug conductor, further inserting movement bringing the annular furrow into alignment with the aperture 45, the spring member 5| then springing back to substantially its normal position to clamp the annular furrow between it and the adjacent margins of the recess 46, connection being further facilitated by reason of the fact that the margins of the slot 55 formed in the leg 52 also engage the adjacent surfaces of the annular furrow of the plug con- 35 ductor terminal.

From the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the illustrated embodiment of my invention provides a new and improved electrical contact and connection means, 40 economical in construction and assembly, and accordingly, accomplishes at least the principal object of my invention. It further will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the illustrated embodiment of my invention may be variously 45 changed and modified without departing from the spirit of my invention, or sacrificing all of the advantages thereof, and. that accordingly, the disclosure herein is illustrative only, and my invention is not limited thereto. 50

'I claim:

1. Receptacle means for holding a conductor terminal, including a single planar wall having a base, a terminal receiving aperture formed in said Wall and a slot intersecting said apenture and the base of said wall and providing a projection, biasing means insertable to a predetermined position w i thin said slot, and an opening provided adjacent one extremity of said biasing means receiving said projection whereby to m) assist in holding said :b-i'asing means substantially in a plane at right angles to the plane of said wall.

2. Receptaclemeans for holding a conductor terminal, including a mounting, a single planar wall member having a base portion located adjacent the upper surface of said mounting, said member having a terminal receiving aperture and a slot intersecting said aperture and a recess in its base portion communicating with said 70 slot, biasing means having a portion projecting through said slot and intersecting said aperture and a portion locked within said recess and engaging said mounting.

3. A mounting, receptacle means carried by 75 said mounting for receiving and holding a conductoi' terminal, comprising: a sheet metal body having a base, and an upstanding portion having a recess for receiving the conductor terminal, and also having a slot intersecting said recess and said base; leaf spring biasing means having a movable portion engageable with the conductor terminal disposed in said recess for yieldably holding the terminal in operative position, the movable portion of said biasing means being engageable with the margins 02 said slot to limit the movement of said portion; and the material adjacent the junction between said base and the upstanding portion of said body and the lower extremity of said biasing means being constructed and arranged to provide an interlocking connection permitting said base to rest solely upon said mounting.

4. Receptacle means for holding a conductor terminal, including a mounting, a single planar w a11 member having a base portion located adjacent the upper surface of said mounting, said member having a terminal receiving aperture and a slot intersecting said aperture and a recess in its base portion communicating with said slot, biasing means having a portion projecting through said slot and intersecting said aperture and :a portion locked within said recess.

5. Receiving means, for holding a conductor terminal, including a Wall provided with a terminal receiving aperture and a slot extending substantially longitudinally of said Wall intersecting said aperture and a margin adjacent the base end of said wall, means integral With said Wall adjacent the intersection o'f said margin and said slot, leaf spring biasing means enteraible through said slot with a portion intersecting said aperture, and a portion interlocking with said integral means whereby to assist in holding 'said wall and said biasing means in assembly.

6. Receptacle means for holding a conductor terminal, including a mounting having a plane surface; biasing means in the form of a resilient member having a base resting on said surface, a recess provided in said base, and a rigid wall member engaging said surface having a terminal receiving aperture provided therein and. a slot projecting inwardly from that part of the wall engaging said surface whereby said wall member may be slipped over said biasing means with said biasing means being locked in said slot only when said member is secured to said mounting.

HARRY A. DOUGLAS. 

